Where does “primrose” come from?
Primrose comes from Middle English primerose, from Old French primerose, from Latin rosa meaning rose, from Ancient Greek ῥόδον, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European reh₁d-.
primrose (English): A flowering plant of the genus "Primula"; A plant...
Definitions
- A flowering plant of the genus "Primula"; A plant...
Ancestry of “primrose”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | primerose | — |
| 2 | Old French | primerose | — |
| 3 | Latin | Rosa | rose |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | ῥόδον | rose (usually Rosa gallica) |
| 5 | Old Persian | wurdi | flower |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | wurdiz | fate, destiny |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | wrti- | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | wert- | to turn, to rotate |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | wer- | to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel |